


Protect and Preserve

by snowynight



Category: Marvel Ultimates
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bodyguard, First Kiss, First Time, Fluff, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-20
Updated: 2013-03-20
Packaged: 2017-12-05 22:08:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/728442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snowynight/pseuds/snowynight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Steve is hired to protect Tony Stark, sparks fly faster than bullets. But will they live long enough to realize they're falling in love? (Note: Summary taken from Her Secret Bodyguard by Misha Crews)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Protect and Preserve

When Steve was about to enter the office, he heard his client Miss Potts arguing with someone else at the desk.  
  


"This's the ultimatum, Tony. You stick with this one and don't try to play any tricks."  
  


"Do I really need a bodyguard?" the man asked, with far too much amusement in his voice.

Steve knocked the door politely. Miss Potts let him in and said, "Tony, it's Steve Rogers, a professional bodyguard. Mr. Rogers, it's Tony Stark, the person you're hired to protect,"

Steve nodded. Everyone knew Tony Stark, the richest man in United States. Steve could see that his assignment would be a hard one. Rich people like Stark were spoiled and difficult, but a job was a job.  
  


"Well, this is surely an eye candy, good choice, Pepper," Stark said. "But still it's just another death threat."  
  


"Well, it's not just an empty death threat. You have been attacked twice. This's not something you joke about."  
  


"All right, Pepper," Stark said. He stood up and stretched out a hand. "Welcome, Mr. Rogers."

Steve shook his hand and was surprised to find that Stark's grip was steady and his hand wasn't as smooth as he had thought. He noted it down in his mind. Every small detail could be important.  
  


Guarding Stark proved to be... interesting, as Stark seemed to be determined to enjoy his life to full, and Steve wondered where he got so many energy after going to one of the craziest party Steve had ever seen,  staying at the basement for hours until dawn and then rose and shone in the morning, sipping his liquid breakfast. If a scientist could build a machine harnessing all Stark's energy, Steve thought, there would be no longer any worry of energy shortage. The death threat was serious though, no matter how Stark had joked about it, as Steve had already found timed bombs twice under his car.  
  


One night Steve caught Stark in the study. He was reading a book which Steve recognized as written by Nietzsche. Steve was surprised to see such a hedonist like Stark will be interested in philosophy, but after a second thought, he suspected that maybe Stark thought of himself as an Übermensch. He didn't think he made a sound, but Stark looked up from his book and smiled at him, "Still up, darling?"  
  


"Rogers or Steve, if you like, Mr Stark."  
  


"Well, Mr. Stark was my father. It's all right to call me Tony."  
  


"It's improper."  
  


Stark laughed. "You sound like a character from a historical drama. By the way, what if some day or night a demon were to steal after you into your loneliest loneliness and say to you: 'This life as you now live it and have lived it, you will have to live once more and innumerable times more,' What will you do?"  
  


"Eternal recurrence? I'm not a philosophical man."  
  


"And you know about it. Hidden depth, Rogers," Stark said. Then his glance looked distant. "I'm not sure whether I could reply, 'You are a god and never have I heard anything more divine'"  
  


Steve was silent as he now saw a very personal moment of Stark.  
  


Another day Steve stole a moment to reread Lord of the Rings. The trilogy had been his childhood favourite, something to anchor him in his turbulent life. Then he noticed that Stark walked past so he put down the book. Stark smiled at him and said, "I don't know you like the books too. It's a good read."  
  


Steve nodded, feeling a bit embarrassed.  
  


Stark didn't laugh at him though. Then somehow Steve found him to be roped into watching the three movies on the ridiculously wide screen in Stark's media centre. When it was finished Stark said, "We should do it the other day." Steve assumed that it was a casual remark, but the next week Stark invited him to another movie watching. When they sat side by side watching another sci-fi film, with their knees slightly brushing, Steve suddenly felt that it was nice.  
  


The next morning Steve woke up early as usual, and something must have got into him because he cooked an extra serving of breakfast. When Stark appeared in the kitchen he took the plate to him, saying,  "You should eat some real food."  
  


Stark seemed surprised, and then he sat by the table and ate the food, which Steve counted as a win.  
  


The end of Steve's assignment was arriving, and Steve found that he was reluctant to wait for that day to come. Although he didn't want to admit to himself, Stark had gradually occupied a place in his heart. He wasn't sure how he would name it, but it seemed that it was threatening to be more than friendship. A bodyguard should never get personal with the one he was hired to protect, and he was always professional with his job, but now he broke the rule. It was too late to do anything though. Besides, he thought bitterly, it was just nothing to a seasoned playboy like Stark. Better not say or do anything about it.  
  


Finally the day came that the person wanting Stark's head was finally arrested, and Steve's term of contract came to an end. He received a big fat cheque, nodded and shook hands with Miss. Potts and Stark. He didn't want to admit to himself that when he returned to his empty apartment, he kept waiting for moments to hear the sound of Stark's familiar footsteps. He wanted to jump to another assignment, but his boss insisted on giving him a break, so Steve stayed in New York, doing gym and tackled with things that needed to deal with.  
  


Then one night when he was on his way back he received a phone call and when he answered it, it was Stark's lazy voice. "I'm outside your apartment. When 're you home?"  
  


What was he doing there? Steve hastened his steps anyway and saw a smirking Stark just where he said he'd be. When Steve asked about it, Stark just said, "Remember tonight 's our movie night."  
  


Steve don't know how to make sense of it, but he let Stark in and watched the movie. Stark seemed to be at ease in his small apartment but Steve couldn't quite focus on the movie.  
  


At the end Steve asked, "What does it mean?"  
  


"Well, I think not even the director knows, but if you want a theory, I..."  
  


"No. What do... what do you and... what does all this mean?"  
  


Stark seemed to hesitate for a while, and then he smiled, "To get you back in my life."  
  


"You need a bodyguard again? Who're targeting you this time?" Steve got nervous and his professional instinct got in.  
  


"Not as a bodyguard. As a friend and then... more." Stark looked uncertain. "Do you want this too?"  
  


Steve thought about the reality, the distance between them. Then he answered, "Me too, Tony."  
  


Stark --- no, it should be Tony in his mind now --- smiled, and it was in his eyes. Then he got closer and pressed his lips to Steve's. Steve smiled in his heart.


End file.
